Family of man who took his own life settle action against vet’s estate

The family of a man who took his own life have settled their High Court action for €105,000 against the estate of a vet, who they alleged gave the man a chemical, believing it was to treat a dog, but which he used to kill himself.

The action arising out of the death of taxi-driver Thomas Walsh, a 45-year- old father of three adult children, was settled without admission of liability.

Mr Walsh from Co Tipperary died on March 22, 2006, after injecting himself with a drug Euthatal, which it was claimed he obtained that day from vet PJ Comerford — who has since died.

Mr Walsh allegedly obtained the chemical after telling the vet that he had a dog in severe pain. However, later that day Mr Walsh administered the drug to himself and died.

In proceedings brought on behalf of the Walsh family, his widow Kay Walsh, The Crescent, Cappawhite, Co Tipperary, sued vets PJ Comerford, Tom Comerford, and Tom Comerford Ltd, of Main Street, Dundrum, Co Tipperary, for mental distress caused by Thomas’s death.

It was claimed his death was due to the defendant’s negligence and breach of duty of care.

Counsel for Mrs Walsh John O’Mahony said while it was his client’s claim that the defendants had been professionally negligent, the late Mr Walsh suffered from depression and had attempted suicide on a number of previous occasions.

The defendants wrongly prescribed a drug to an unknown unqualified person, for an animal not under their care or supervision, counsel added.

The defendants claimed Mr Walsh died after taking multiple drugs, that were not supplied to him by the defendants, which were discovered in his system following his death.

The defendants admitted that PJ Comerford gave Euthatal to Mr Walsh on the date in question after he told the vet his dog had been involved in a accident, was in terrible pain and required to be put down.

Mr Comerford was in the middle of surgery at the time and would be unable to attend the scene for at least two hours. Following protestations and assurances from Mr Walsh that he would administer the drug to the dog, the vet gave Mr Walsh a syringe containing the drug.

The proceedings against the defendants other than PJ Comerford were struck out.